1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus having a function to display an enlarged image of a part of an imaging area image.
2. Description of the Related Art
An imaging apparatus such as a digital camera includes a display used by a user in confirming an imaging angle or a state of an object, or in viewing a recorded image.
However, today's imaging apparatus is very small and the size of the display is limited. Further, the resolution of the display is much lower compared to that of a recorded image. As a consequence, it is difficult to confirm the details of the object on the display.
Under these circumstances, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-179798 discusses an imaging apparatus. When a shutter button is half-pressed, an auto-focus area of an object is enlarged and shown on a display with high resolution. Thus, a user can easily confirm the details or an actual focus state of the object.
According to the imaging apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-179798, an enlarged focus area is displayed when the shutter button is half-pressed. However, display of an enlarged image is not always necessary in actually using a camera. For example, some imaging apparatuses include an autofocus (AF) lock function. When the user focuses on an object using the autofocus function and uses the AF lock function, the in-focus state can be maintained. The AF lock function is used when the user changes an angle of view while maintaining the in-focus state, or the user waits until the state of the object, which is in-focused, becomes appropriate for shooting. When the state of the object becomes appropriate, then the shooting is performed.
When the object moves out of the focus area in a state the AF lock function is used, even if the user half-presses the shutter button, the object is not included in the enlarged display of the focus area. Further, in using the AF lock function, displaying the enlarged image of the object again after confirming the details of the object and the focus state using the enlarged display, has little meaning. Such an operation may rather cause inconvenience to the user.